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At What Age Should a Kid Get a Phone?

Feb 21, 2018 6:32:23 AM

Maybe you got a cell phone when you started work, or were in high school. It was probably an indestructible Nokia brick. It came with all kinds of social perks. And maybe you got really good at playing Snake. Now your kids want phones of their own. But here’s the thing: their experience won’t be like yours. Not by a long shot.

Things have changed. We dislike that statement, which seems both obvious and overused, but when it comes to kids and phones—well, things have changed. In a big way. Giving your kid a phone isn’t just giving them a tool to call you, it’s giving them a 24/7 internet connection with all the trouble and distraction that entails. So you need to ask some big questions.

How Will You React When Your Kid Breaks or Loses Their Phone?

Kids and teens lose and break things all the time. Even if they’re uncommonly responsible. It’s just part of the immaturity of childhood. So ask yourself: how will you react when your kid comes home without their phone, which retails between $300 and $1,000? The more that idea frustrates you, the longer your kid should wait before getting a phone of their own.

What Is School Policy?

Teachers in 1998 had to ask kids to stop passing notes and pay attention. Teachers in 2018 have to ask kids to stop watching YouTube and pay attention.

Your kids school has a phone policy. We guarantee it. Find out what it is, what expectations for your kid are, and act accordingly. After all, if there’s a strict no phone policy, this discussion just got easy for you.

Other Kids Matter to a Point

If no other kids have a phone, your kid probably doesn’t need one for social reasons. Who will they call anyway?

Know the Health Risks

Screen time is directly linked to poor sleep quality. That’s one of many risks a phone entails. Maybe when you give your kid a phone, it isn’t something they can use whenever or wherever. A good halfway step might be your kid only gets their phone when they’re away from you; once they get home, they turn it over. Think about managing your kids screen time.

The Bottom Line

Fair warning: when you have this discussion with your kid, it will provoke a lot of “When I was your age . . .” thinking. We’re sorry. But the world really has changed, so it’s important to approach this question with as much time and attention to detail as you can manage.